Louver construction



Jan. 2, 1940. N, Row Y 2,185,712

LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Filed March 2, 1938 INVENTOR GARoLD/V. FOWLEY 6;, ATTdRNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE R LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Garold N. Rowley, Miami, Fla.

Application March 2, 1938, Serial No. 193,457

9 Claims.(Cl. 20-62 My invention relates to improvements in closures for windows, doors and other openings for the passage of light or air in buildings and other ily and positively secured to open or closed posi-.

tion, or to any position intermediate fully open or closed.

Further, said inventtion has for its object to provide a louver construction in which the essential operating parts are wholly concealed and protected against injury by weather.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a louver construction in whichthe shutters or vanes are positively connected at both ends to the operating mechanism in order to actuate the shutters or vanes simultaneously at both ends.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends my invention consists in the novel features of construction, and in the combination, connection and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In .the accompanying drawing-- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating one form of louver construction constructed according' to and embodying my said invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical section on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l with the louver shown in its intermediate or horizontal position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail elevation with parts broken away and in section on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5' is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the overlapping edges of the louvers and the chambers therein, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing a portion of a louver and the central support therefor.

In said drawing I0 designates a frame or casin of rectangular form and including the stool or sill II, side members I2, and lintel I3. The side members I2 are preferably formed of several vertical portions as I4 and'IS, and a suitable molding strip I6 may form the exposed inner sides of'said side members l2 and lintel I3. II denotes louvers or slats disposed one above the other in the frame or casing ID.

The louvers H are provided at their opposite ends with relatively thin circular heads or disks l8 which may be made of wood or metal and secured to the ends of said louvers I1 by screws or other suitable fastening means. The said disks I8 are fitted into corresponding circular sockets 59 provided in the side members I4, and have their outer or exposed surfaces flush with the outer exposed surfaces of said side members I4. Each head or disk It is provided with a concentrio pin 20 which extends into an aperture 2| in the outer side member I5. The said apertures 2i serve as bearings for the pins or trunnions 20 whereby the louver is pivotally supported within the frame portion id. The disks I8 are severally further provided with eccentrically disposed studs 22 which are pivotally connected to vertical actuating bars 23 located in vertical recesses 24 in the frame portions i5. The lower ends of said actuating bars 23 extend downwardly below the sill ii, and are pivotally connected at their said ends to arms 25 fixed upon opposite ends of a transverse shaft 26 supported in suitable bear ings 27 arranged in the lower ends of the side members 14, I5 below the sill II.

In order to prevent the louvers II sagging intermediate their ends, particularly where the same are of considerable length, a center support or jamb I2 is secured centrally in the frame It. The said center jamb or support I2 is provided with a series of circular apertures I2 corresponding in number with the number of louvers ll. The diameters of the circular apertures I2 and the circular heads I8 are not shown to scale, relative to each other, in Fig. 3. Each aperture I2 is provided with diagonally dlsposed recesses I2 to permit of the louvers II being passed lengthwise through the support or jamb I2 and to be rotated in said aperture. When adjusted to horizontal position, or a position approaching horizontal, the notches I1 provided in the opposite longitudinal edges of the v louver will engage with the sides of the apertures I2", and serve to prevent the louver sagging or being moved lengthwise relative to said center support or jamb I22. If desired, when the structure has been fully assembled, the recesses I2 may be filled in.

The underside of the sill II is provided intermediate, its ends with adepending bearing 28 in which is mounted ashaft 29 disposed at right angles to the transverse shaft 26 upon which is fixed a worm 30 meshing with a worm, gear wheel 8| fixed on the transverse shaft 28. The shaft 28 is provided at its projecting end with a detachable operating handle or crank 3|.

The louvers i! are provided at their overlapping edges with substantially semi-circular registering recesses H which are coextensive in length with the length of the louvers l1, and jointly form a substantially cylindrical expansion chamber The lower edges of said slats or louvers H are provided at intervals with weep holes |1 which communicate at their upper ends with the lower portions of the chambers The said chambers II serve to reduce the velocity.of the air passing and cause the same to drop the entrained water or moisture and permit the same to pass out by gravity through the weep holes i1".

To open or close the louvers I I, or to adjust the same to any intermediate position, it merely becomes necessary to rotate the operating crank 8|, one direction or the other, until the desired position of the louvers I1 is obtained, whereupon the louvers will be positively held to adjusted position by the actuating mechanism.

It is to be noted particularly that by means of my invention I am enabled to provide a construction in which the louvers or shutters are positively actuated simultaneously from both ends thereby avoiding all torque strain upon them, that the entire operating mechanism is concealed; that the parts are arranged to form a weather proof structure, and that by avoiding projecting or overlapping parts in the structure the painting-and cleaning thereof is facilitated.

Having thus described my said invention what I claim and desir to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A louver construction comprising a frame having circular sockets in its opposite side members, a series of louvers between said side members, circular heads at the opposite ends of said louvers corresponding in outline with and extending into said circular sockets, pivots extending centrally from said circular heads and into said side members, studs on said heads disposed eccentrically relative thereto, bars working in said side members and pivotally connected to said studs,and operating means associated with said bars at the lower ends thereof for actuating the same to adjust said louvers.

2. A louver construction comprising a frame having circular sockets in its opposite side members, a series of louvers between said side members, circular heads at the opposite ends of said louvers corresponding in outline with and extending into said circular sockets, pivots extending centrally from said circular heads and into said side members, studs on said heads disposed eccentrically relative thereto, bars working in said side members and pivotally connected to said studs, a transverse shaft supported below said frame, arms fixed on said shaft and pivotally secured to the lower ends of said bars, a worm gear fixed on said transverse shaft, a shaft suppo ted adjacent said transverse shaft, a worm on said shaft meshing with the worm gear on said transverse shaft, and an operating crank on said worm shaft for actuating said worm shaft and associated mechanism to adjust said louvers.

3. A louver construction comprising a frame having series of circular sockets in its opposite side members, a series of louvers between said side members, circular heads secured to the opposite ends of said louvers corresponding in outline with and extending into said circular sockets,

pivots extending centrally from said heads and therein at right angles to said transverse shaft, a

worm on said second-named shaft meshing with the worm gear on said transverse shaft, and an operating crank engaging said second-named shaft actuating said second-named shaft and associated mechanism to adjust said louvers.

4. A louver construction comprising a frame including side members, a series of louvers, means for pivotally supporting said louvers in said side members, means intermediate said side members having apertures therein and recesses communicating therewith for receiving said louvers and said apertures serving to revolubly support said louvers, and means for actuating said louvers."

5. A louver construction comprising a frame including side members, sockets in said side members, a series of louvers, means for pivotally supporting said louvers at their ends in said sockets,

means intermediate said side members having circular apertures of less diameter than the width of said louvers and means associated with said circular apertures for receiving said louvers and said apertures serving to revolubly support said louvers intermediate their ends, and means for actuating said louvers.

6. A louver construction comprising a frame including side members, sockets in said side members, a series of louvers pivotally supported at their opposite ends in said sockets, a support intermediate said side members having circular apertures therein of less diameter. than the width of said louvers, and oppositely disposed recesses opening into said circular apertures for receiving said louvers, said intermediate support serving to revolubly support said louvers intermediate their ends, and means for actuating said -louvers.

7. A louver construction comprising a frame including side members, sockets in said side members, a series of louvers pivotally supported at their opposite ends in said sockets and having registering notches in their opposite edges, a vertical member secured in said frame intermediate the side members thereof having a series of circular apertures therein of less diameter than the width of said louvers engaging the notched edges of said louvers, and oppositely disposed recesses opening into said circular apertures, said recesses jointly forming openings corresponding in length with the width of said louvers, said vertical member loosely enclosing said louvers and serving to revolubly support the same, and means for actuating said louvers.

8. A louver construction comprising a frame including side members, circular sockets in said side members, a series of louvers, circular members on the ends of said louvers extending into said circular sockets for revolubly supporting said louvers, said louvers having registering notches in the opposite edges thereof, a vertical 'member supported in said frame intermediate the side members thereof and having apertures therein corresponding in diameter with that of said circular members on said louvers, and oppositely disposed recesses opening into said circular apertures and jointly forming diagonal openings corresponding in length louvers, an operating member pivotally connected with the width or said to the circular members on said louvers, and means for actuating said operating member to actuate said louvers.

9. A louver construction comprising a frame having circular sockets in the side members thereof, a series of louvers disposed in said frame and provided with notches in opposite edges thereof, circular heads on the opposite ends of said louvers working in said circular sockets, pivots on said circular heads supported insaid side members, a vertical member disposed intermediate said side members and having circular apertures 01 less diameter than the width or said louvers engaging with the notches in said louvers, and oppositely disposed recesses opening into said apertures to permit of the passage of said louvers through said apertures, a stud on each circular head, an operating member disposed in said frame and pivotally connected to the stud of each louver head, and means for actuating said operating member for simultaneously actuating said louvers at both of their opposite ends.

caaom N. BOWL!!! 

